9


things every grower should remember for


long pivot life


1 Winterize!


Depending on your geography and climate, one important thing to do is prepare for winter. To winterize your pivot, drain your pipelines, and make sure you also drain any condensed water from wheel gearboxes and gear motors.


In addition, perform normal greasing of parts at least yearly. Steel moving on steel without proper lubrication can lead to unnecessary wear and tear on irrigation equipment. Be sure to grease all moving parts, including the pivot point bearing, towable hubs, corner legs and rollers.


Don’t forget:


Cleaning your sand trap is essential, mainly if you have water quality problems or your irrigation water contains sand.


2 Kick the tires


Check for correct air pressure in your tires to reduce rutting. Also, check your machine’s lug nuts to ensure they are tight.


3 Give gearboxes a look


Maximize the life of your drive train and keep it operating trouble-free by examining the gearbox for leaking seals, which could cause failure during the year if they run low on gear lube.


4 Are the U-joints OK?


Check the U-joints between the gearbox and gear motor. If there is more than ¼ inch of movement, they should be replaced. These inserts will eventually wear out; replacing them when you see the beginnings of wear can save you costly downtime.


5 Tower box test


Be sure all tower box contactors are performing correctly and are not “chattering.” This is one aspect of “routine” maintenance that’s not so routine … and is often forgotten.


Remember this:


Make sure your center drive is operating properly; it should run smoothly and quietly. This is another component that often goes unchecked and can cause downtime during the growing season.


6 Alignment inspection


Check your machine’s alignment — correct alignment reduces structural stress on the pivot and allows it to run straight.


14 Irrigation TODAY | October 2018


Photo credit: Valmont Industries Inc.


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